It is generally well-known that when a pneumatic tire is operated under wet road conditions, there is an increased danger that the tire will go out of control of the vehicle operator. Loss of control under wet road conditions generally occurs as a result of a reduced coefficient of friction between the tire and road surface. The presence of water in the tire footprint reduces the coefficient of friction between the tire and road surface. When the coefficient of friction between the tire and road surface is reduced, the amount of applied tangential force needed to cause slip is reduced. Additionally, when an excessive amount of water is present in the footprint of the tire, a portion of the tire in the footprint may be caused to lift from the road surface thereby further reducing the coefficient of friction between the tire and road surface. Further, when the excess amount of water present in the footprint of the tire reaches a certain value, the tire may be caused to ride upon a thin film of water, more commonly known as hydroplaning. It can be seen that the possibility of loss control is increased under wet road conditions. Furthermore, the possibility of loss of control of the vehicle is even further increased when a braking or accelerating force is applied to the tire. When a tire experiences a braking or accelerating force, the applied tangential force between the tire and road surface increases the possibility of slip. It is therefore desirable in designing a tire having good wet performance to remove water from the footprint of the tire as quickly and efficiently as possible.